Welcome

Welcome to the POZ/AIDSmeds Community Forums, a round-the-clock discussion area for people with HIV/AIDS, their friends/family/caregivers, and
others concerned about HIV/AIDS. Click on the links below to browse our various forums; scroll down for a glance at the most recent posts; or join in the
conversation yourself by registering on the left side of this page.

Privacy Warning: Please realize that these forums are open to all, and are fully searchable via Google and other search engines. If you are HIV positive
and disclose this in our forums, then it is almost the same thing as telling the whole world (or at least the World Wide Web). If this concerns you, then do not use a
username or avatar that are self-identifying in any way. We do not allow the deletion of anything you post in these forums, so think before you post.

The information shared in these forums, by moderators and members, is designed to complement, not replace, the relationship between an individual and his/her own
physician.

All members of these forums are, by default, not considered to be licensed medical providers. If otherwise, users must clearly define themselves as such.

Forums members must behave at all times with respect and honesty. Posting guidelines, including time-out and banning policies, have been established by the moderators
of these forums. Click here for “Am I Infected?” posting guidelines. Click here for posting guidelines pertaining to all other POZ/AIDSmeds community forums.

We ask all forums members to provide references for health/medical/scientific information they provide, when it is not a personal experience being discussed. Please
provide hyperlinks with full URLs or full citations of published works not available via the Internet. Additionally, all forums members must post information which are
true and correct to their knowledge.

Author
Topic: It's cancer (Read 12384 times)

Thanks to everyone for your support. The first time he had cancer he insisted on only telling the people who had to know. We even managed to keep it a secret from his family, a plan I disapproved of but went along with. This time he says he is going to tell his parents about everything, including his HIV status, which will completely shock them but be a relief to me. We have a lot more support this time around and I am preparing for the bad times and hoping for the best.

Ford, this is a big deal for your partner...........to disclose everything he formerly held back from his family. The news will likely shock many yet family ties that unify will offer support. It will be a blessing to have some help through those days ahead. Please continue to keep us posted here at AIDS MED forum. Rant when you need. Many will be here for you and partner.Mike

Ford, I'm so sorry to hear it has returned. It won't be an easy road, but hopefully it will be a short one to wellness. Your inner, as well as physical strength will be able to carry you both through this. I hope all goes smoothly with his family.

Remember, we're always here for you, whatever you need from us, just ask for it.

My thoughts and wishes are with you for strength for you and your partner.

Mike

Logged

"Get your medical advice from Doctors or medical professionals who you trust and know your history."

"Beware of the fortune teller doom and gloomers who seek to bring you down and are only looking for company, purpose and validation - not your best physical/mental interests."

"You know you all are saying that this is incurable. When the real thing you should be saying is it's not curable at the present time' because as we know, the great strides we've made in medicine." - Elizabeth Edwards

After the blood tests, ultra sound, CAT scan, PET scan, lymph biopsy and bone marrow biopsy we met with the oncologist Friday. To everyone's surprise my partner has Hodgkin's lymphoma, not a recurrence of the non-Hodgkins lymphoma he had 10 years ago. The oncologist said this was the best outcome that we could have hoped for, considering my partner has small tumors throughout his lymphatic system. Fortunately he doesn't have cancer in his bone marrow. If it had been non-Hodgkins again the outlook would have been grim. However the prognosis with Hodgkins is relatively good. My partner was thrilled. I told the oncologist that my partner was probably the happiest patient to which he had ever given a cancer diagnosis.

Monday he has to get a MUGA scan of his heart to see which chemo combo he can tolerate and Tuesday he will start chemotherapy. He won't have to have a bone marrow transplant, radiation or spinal injections. It will last either 3 months or 6 months depending on which combo will be effective without damaging his heart.

Even though doing chemo again is going to be a bitch (mouth sores, hair loss, weight loss, etc.) my partner is psyched and ready to kick ass. He told his parents and all our friends about the current cancer situation and everyone is very supportive. Even though we have been through cancer before, not to mention other fun things like AIDS, blood clots, stroke, etc. we have both been completely stressed all week. Right before we went into the oncologist's office he said "I'm afraid he's going to tell me this is it. It's like the end of the world." I said "We've been to the end of the world several times before. Let's vacation somewhere else next time, okay?"

I'm so glad to hear that he won't have to endure interthecal (In the spinal fluid) or bone marrow injections!His attitude sounds great so hang in there.I found really consistent almost fanatical adherence to the mouth washes they gave me helped tremendously with the mouth sores.Ask the nurses about "swish and spit and swish and swallow" They'll know what you mean. He'll end up with discolored teeth but hey they can be cleaned.

Hang in there and if he ever needs someone to just vent about chemo to just drop me a PM.

Right before we went into the oncologist's office he said "I'm afraid he's going to tell me this is it. It's like the end of the world." I said "We've been to the end of the world several times before. Let's vacation somewhere else next time, okay?"

Wow, nice to get a surprise when you were going to the doc's anticipating THE very worst! I say attitude is half the battle with cancer, and I am very happy to hear about your partner's raised spirits! You guys KICK ASS together, and know that we're here rooting for you both!

"...health will finally be seen not as a blessing to be wished for, but as a human right to be fought for." Kofi Annan

Nymphomaniac: a woman as obsessed with sex as an average man. Mignon McLaughlin

HIV is certainly character-building. It's made me see all of the shallow things we cling to, like ego and vanity. Of course, I'd rather have a few more T-cells and a little less character. Randy Shilts